Ever South (Live at 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA, 2018)

There's a southern accent where I come from
The youngins call it country, the Yankees call it dumb
I got my own way of working but everything's done
With a southern accent where I come from

There's a drunk tank in Atlanta, it's just a motel world to me
Think I might go to Orlando if them orange groves don't freeze
Got my own way of talking but every word's begun
With a southern accent where I come from

We packed our few belongings and we moved across the ocean
Discarding new life in this land so bold and vast
Disbursed from Ellis Island, my distant Irish kin
Eyes cut to the future, hearts tied to the past

We held on to our loved ones and we held tight to the promise
And scraped our meager living into mountains
We prayed to what would have us, every doubting John Thomas
Spread through Appalachia, ever south
Spread through Appalachia, ever south

And I hear we weren't welcomed here, at least not in those days
No one needs our drunken, fine, thieving kind
We settled in this new place and we worked it in our ways
And we spread our kin upon it in due time
Spread our kin upon it in due time

And we fought our losing battles and we held on to our ways
We talked of how we left behind our better days
Some living lives of leisure, some surviving hand to mouth
Bash our heads against the future, ever south
Bash our heads against the future, ever south

When I cast my eyes upon you, we were both still in our prime
We were moving in big circles out of sawdust to combine
And I held you in my arms and swore eternal of this time
Tried to lasso brighter futures, let it drag us both behind
Lasso brighter futures, let it drag us both behind

We aimed our sights westward like some did before
Abandon our surroundings to some distant shore
Where everyone takes notice of the drawl that leaves our mouths
So no matter where we are, we're ever south
No matter where we are, we're ever southMy Christian
Southern brethren, will I tell you all what for?
To leave your heathen ways behind you and your shoes outside the door
Take a stand for noble causes 'til you just can't stand no more
Surrender to some savior, praise the Lord
But despite our best intentions it pains me to report
We keep swinging for the fences, coming up a little short
We sure can get it wrong for someone so devout
I hear you whistling past the graveyard looking down
Whistling past the graveyard looking down
Ever southern in my appearance, ever southern in my stance
From the Irish in my complexion to the Scottish in my dance
From the way I bang my head against my daily circumstance
If this blue-eyed southern devil take you out upon the prowl
Decadence and charm will take it into town
Tell you stories of our fathers and the glories of our house
Always told a little slow, ever south
Always told a little slow, ever south